History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 40

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358

USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men > Part 40

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mit, South Point, Washington, Hermann, California, Syracuse, Otterville, and many lesser points. Large portions of the track were torn up, and the entire road was a wreck.

Under military protection the work of repair and extension was continued, and the road was opened to Holden in May, 1865, and to Kansas City in September of that year.

Since its completion to Kansas City other roads have been completed to that point, but the Pacific Road has held its own in the contest for the com- merce of the West. Its present conncetions with roads west and southwest are of the most intimate character, and cars run to and from St. Louis, with- out break of bulk, to every railroad point in Kansas and Colorado.

During the year 1878-79 the construction of the Sedalia and Fort Scott Railroad shortened the line between St. Louis and Fort Scott more than one hundred miles, and arrangements were completed for the running of freighit and passenger trains, with- out break, between St. Louis and Fort Scott. The connecting link between Fort Scott and the main line of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad was completed in 1871, after which time freight and passenger trains ran, without break, to Chetopa and points in the Indian country.

Connections have been made between Pleasant Hill and Lawrence,by which the route to Denver was straightened and shortened. Roads from Sedalia to Lexington, from Holden to Paola and Emporia, Kan., and from Tipton to Versailles and Warsaw, in Missouri, have also been constructed.

Among the most active and liberal of the early promoters of this great enterprise was Edward Walsh. Mr. Walsh was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, Dee. 27, 1798. The family consisted of eleven children, who were trained to habits of industry and economy, and when old enough to work established in some employ- ment. After being kept at school until twelve years old, Edward entered the store of a cousin, and remained there four years. He then went into business with his brother, who kept a mill and brewing establish- ment, and remained there four years. A letter from his cousin in Louisville about this time induced him to emigrate to America, and on the 7th of June, 1818, he arrived in New York, reaching Louisville in due season. In October, 1818, he removed to St. Louis, and subsequently settled in Ste. Genevieve County, where he built a mill and conducted a profitable business until 1824, when he sold out and started another mill in Madison County. This, too, he soon disposed of, and acting on the idea which he had

Ed Warsh

Ut IF UNIVERSITY OF . VOIS.

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long entertained that St. Louis was the best field for his energies, he finally removed to the city and settled permanently, engaging with his brother in the general merchandising business, under the firm- name and style of J. & E. Walsh.

In 1831 he also engaged in milling again, and ultimately conducted operations on a large scale, having three mills in constant operation. One of the three is still standing, at the corner of Florida Street and the Levce. It was built in 1827, and has made more flour than any mill in St. Louis.

The milling business succeeded as merchandising had done, and Edward Walsh next engaged in stcam- boating on a large scale. It is estimated that lie had half a million dollars invested in the business, and at one time he was interested in twenty-one vessels that were plying on the Western waters.

During this period his firm enjoyed almost the en- tire monopoly of the Galena lead business. Therc was then no Chicago to dispute the supremacy of St. Louis in that region.

When railroads began to be agitated, Mr. Walsh was among their most earnest and energetic promo- ters, being one of the first subscribers and original directors of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company. He was also a subscriber to the stock of the North Missouri Railroad and the Ohio and Mississippi Rail- road Companies, and was one of the originators of the present street railway system.

Mr. Walsh assisted in numerous other public en- terprises, and was one of the first directors of the old Bank of the State of Missouri, and a director in the old Missouri Insurance Company and Union Insurance Company. He was also one of the founders of the present Merchants' National Bank.

The successful management of such large and com- plex interests, down almost to the very day of his death, indicate a mind of uncommon strength, and Mr. Walslı's sound business judgment was recognized by all his contemporaries. The splendid success whichi he accomplished is his best monument. The young man who came to a new continent with neither friends nor patronage made his way by sheer force of char- acter and industry to wealth and position, and when he died, on the 23d of March, 1866, he was mourned as one of the leading citizens of the State of his adoption.

Edward Walsh's brother, John Walsh, with whom he was so long associated in business, and who died many years before him, was likewise noted for his business talents and lofty integrity. He was also widely known for his benevolence and charity, which endeared him to a very large circle of friends, and

still keeps his memory green in the minds of the people of St. Louis. Edward Waish was also of an eminently charitable and benevolent character, but many of his benefactions were private and were never known. He was particularly friendly and generous to immigrants, especially his own country- men, many of whom, being destitute, he helped to become prosperous business men, and who not infre- quently testified their gratitude to Mr. Walsh by the presentation of some elegant and costly token.

Although frequently tendered political honors and preferment, Mr. Walsh uniformly declined, having no aspirations in that direction. He was, however, a warm friend and admirer of the Hon. Thomas H. Benton, and wherever his (Benton's) interests were involved he labored actively and unselfishly for their promotion.

Edward Walsh was twice married,-first in 1822 to Miss Maria Tucker, and secondly, Feb. 11, 1840, to Miss Isabelle De Mun, daughter of Julius De Mun. She died May 26, 1877. Mr. Walsh left six chil- dren, viz. :

Ellen, who became the wife of Solon Humphreys, of New York, president of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway.

Julius S. Walsh, of whom a sketch appears else- where in this work.

Marie C., who became the wife of B. M. Chambers, now a resident of St. Louis County.

J. A. Walsh, president of the Mississippi Glass Company.

Edward Walsh, Jr., president of the Pilot Knob Iron Company.

Daniel E. Walsh, ex-president of the People's, Tower Grove and Lafayette Railway Company.

In 1866 the Southwest Branch of the Missouri Pacific Railway was taken possession of by the State for non-payment of interest on the State subsidy, and sold with the lands in the same year to the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company, which company in 1872 leased the line of the old company. The two roads were operated under one management until Sept. 6, 1876, when the Pacific Road was sold, under process of foreclosure of the third mortgages, and conveyed by the purchasers to the present company, incorporated as the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company, Oct. 21, 1876, with a share capital of $3,000,000. The amount of old indebtedness prior to the third mort- gage, and assumed by the new company, was $13,- 700,000.

By articles of association filed Aug. 11, 1880, the Missouri Pacific was consolidated (still retaining the same name) with the St. Louis and Lexington, the

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HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

Kansas City and Eastern, the Lexington and South- ern, the St. Louis, Kansas and Arizona, the Missouri River, and the Leavenworth, Atchison and North- western Companies. The authorized share capital of the consolidated company was $30,000,000; amount issued to carry out consolidation, $12,419,800 ; the funded debt of the new company, including three of the present lines, was $19,259,000. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway was leased to the Mis- souri Pacific Railway Company on the 1st of Decem- ber, 1880, the rental being the net earnings of the leased line, which for 1881 amounted to $1,911,673.93. The Missouri Pacific Railway operates the Central Branch, Union Pacific Railroad, accounting to the Union Pa- cific, which owns it, for the net earnings.

During 1881 the Missouri Pacific Railway acquired the ownership of the railroad, branches, and property of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Rail- road Company by the exchange of three shares of its capital stock for four shares of that of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad. The Inter- national and Great Northern Railroad of Texas was absorbed by the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad of Missouri by the exchange of one share of the stock of the former for two shares of the stock of the latter. According to the report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1881, the condition of the Missouri Pacific Railroad was as follows :

Rolling stock : Locomotive engines, 134 ; cars, pas- senger, 78, baggage, mail, and express, 28; cabooses, 81; freight (box, 2318; stock, 551; platform, 132; coal, 1138), 4139 ; total revenue cars, 4326 ; service cars, 24.

Operations for the ycar : Trains run (passenger, 1,109,793 ; freight, 2,940,078), 4,049,871 miles ; total engine service, 4,220,241 miles ; passengers car- ried, 1,017,507 ; carried one mile, 59,132,107 ; aver- age fare, 2.48 cents ; freight moved, 2,712,634 ; moved one milc, 368,817,609 tons; average rate, 1.30 cents.

The earnings (774 miles) were : From passengers, $1,472,150.13 ; freight, $4,806,913.67 ; mail and ex- press, $29' 281.01; miscellaneous, $2,067,612.99, total ($11,164.03 per mile), $8,640,957.80.

Expenditures : For maintenance of way, $1,043,- 655.78 ; rolling stock, $1,268,204.31 ; transportation, $1,047,254.58 ; miscellaneous and taxes, $269,040.17; total ($4,687.54 per mile), $3,628,154.84.

Net earnings, $5,012,802.96 ; dividends (April, July, October, and Dec. 31, 1881, 1} per cent. each), $1,524,167.11.

The general balance sheet presented Dec. 31, 1881, showcd, --

Construction and equipment.

$33,555,939.10

Real estate .....

Stoeks and bonds

Material and fuel

Current aeeounts

Cash on hand.

73,766.99 20,300,866.53 1,091,763.44 6,463,138.66 585,540.16

Total assets

$62,071,014.88

Capital stoek.

$29,955,375.00

Funded debt ..

20,664,000.00

Sundry accounts

6,941,926.77

Bills payable

451,956.64

Profit and loss

4,057,756.47

Total liabilities. $62,071,014.88

The increase in share capital during the year ($17,- 534,575) was due wholly to the issue made in the purchase of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and South- ern Railroad. The statement of the funded debt, Dec. 31, 1881, showed that there were $48,195,000 of authorized bonds, and that the outstanding in- debtedness amounted to $20,664,000.

The Missouri Pacific now formns part of the great system of railroads controlled by Jay Gould and his associates. Its directors (clected March 7, 1882) are Jay Gould, Russell Sage, Sidney Dillon, W. F. Buckley, Thomas T. Eckert, George J. Forrest, George Gould, A. L. Hopkins, H. G. Marquand, Samuel Sloan, all of New York; F. L. Ames, South Easton, Mass .; S. H. H. Clark, Omaha, Neb .; R. S. Hayes, St. Louis. Jay Gould, president ; R. S. Hayes, first vice-president ; A. L. Hopkins, second vicc-president ; A. H. Calef, secretary, New York ; W. M. Arnold, assistant secretary ; A. A. Talmage, general manager; A. W. Dickinson, superintendent ; D. Brock, master of transportation ; J. C. Brown, general solicitor ; T. J. Portis, general attorney ; D. S. H. Smith, local treasurer; C. G. Warner, general auditor ; F. Chandler, general passenger and ticket agent ; C. B. Kinnan, assistant general passenger agent; J. L. G. Charlton, assistant general ticket agent ; S. Frink, general freight agent ; G. W. Cole, assistant general freight agent; J. J. Rogers, assist- ant general freight agent ; J. Hewitt, superintendent machinery; J. W. King, paymaster; R. B. Lyle, purchasing agent, all of St. Louis. M. Bullard, su- perintendent telegraph, Sedalia; A. G. Easton, car accountant, Sedalia ; W. P. Andrews, general bag- gage agent, St. Louis ; J. Hansen, general agent, St. Joseph ; L. H. Nutting, general Eastern agent, New York.

Missouri Division : Warder Cumming, superin- tendent, Sedalia; A. M. Hager, assistant superin- tendent transportation, St. Louis; C. L. Dunham, superintendent, Atchison Section, Western Division, Kansas City.

Kansas and Texas Division : T. M. Eddy, super- intendent, Sedalia, Mo .; T. G. Golden, assistant su-

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perintendent transportation, Denison, Texas; C. V. Lewis, division freight agent, Parsons, Kan.

Central Branch Division .- W. W. Fagan, superin- tendent, Atchison, Kan .; M. L. Sargent, assistant general freight agent, Atchison, Kan.

The practical operation of this vast railway system, with all its ramifying lines and branches, is confided to the experienced and skillful hands of the general manager, Mr. Talmage. Archibald Alexander Tal- mage was born in Warren County, N. J., April 25, 1834. His father (an Englishman by descent) was pastor of a Presbyterian congregation, and was as- sisted in his responsible duties by a noble wife, in whose veins flowed some of the purest blood of Scot- land. Born under these favorable auspices, young Talmage enjoyed every opportunity for acquiring a sound rudimentary cducation, and improved his ad- vantages so well that at the comparatively early age of fifteen he had passed through the curriculum of the High School and the academy with more than usual credit. Desiring to be independent, he then left home and spent tlirce years in a country store at Goshen, N. Y., where he became somewhat familiar with the routine of general business and obtained his first glimpse of active commercial life. The lessons learned in this capacity no doubt proved invaluable in moulding the future character of the man and in giving him habits of method and organization, which qualified him in an eminent degrec for performing the duties of freight clerk in the freight department of the New York and Erie Railway, on which he en- tered when eighteen years of age, and where he re- mained one year, displaying during that brief period a precocious talent and an adaptability for railroad work which were highly satisfactory to his superiors. Hc next spent some months in a wholesale hardware establishment in New York City, but the business hardly suited him, and in 1853 he removed to Chicago and obtained employment with the Michigan South- ern Railroad as freight clerk. Within sixty days, however, he was transferred to Monroe, Mich., and soon after to Toledo, Ohio, where he remained until August, 1858, during the last two years in the re- sponsible position of train-master, directing all trains on the Toledo Division of the road, and having charge of all employés at that point.

In his twenty-fifth year he removed to St. Louis and engaged as passenger conductor on the Terre Haute and Alton Railroad, displaying the same force of character, the same energy, and the same ready tact which characterize his present management, and his superior abilities in the transportation depart- ment being generally conceded by all with whom

he was brought in contact. In April, 1864, he was appointed assistant superintendent of the road be- tween East St. Louis and Terre Haute, and infused into the management new energy and method ; but in consequence of a want of harmony between him- self and his chief, he resigned in October, 1864, and accepted a position as master of transportation of the military roads controlled by the United States gov- ernment cast and south of Chattanooga. Within thirty days he was appointed superintendent of the same lines, and remained in absolute charge of them until at the close of the war the government turned them over to the civil authorities. He was thien appointed general superintendent of the East Ten- nessee and Georgia Railroad, and remained busily en- gaged in its reorganization and reconstruction until the fall of 1868, when he was invited by Mr. Herki- mer, general superintendent of the Indianapolis and St. Louis Railway Company (which had leased the Terre Haute and Alton Railroad) to resume the assist- ant superintendency, which he had resigned in Octo- ber, 1864. Herc he displayed such marked ability that in October, 1870, he was appointed Mr. Her- kimer's successor, the late Col. Thomas A. Scott asserting that " A. A. Talmage was the best rail- road manager in the West." In this position his abilities became more widely known and recog- nized, and hence it was not surprising that in March, 1871, he was requested to transfer his sphere of operations to the west side of the Mississippi River and to become general superintendent of what was then known as the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, run- ning from Pacific to Vinita. In December of the same year the general superintendence of the Mis- souri Pacific was intrusted to him, and for a period of over eleven years, with the exception of a few months in 1876, he has remained in active charge of what may be truly considered the most valuable rail- road property west of the Mississippi River. In this position he enjoys the implicit confidence of those who are recognized as being among the shrewdest and most far-seeing railway managers in the United States. His retention in so responsible a position as that of general transportation manager of the Mis- souri Pacific Railway and its comprehensive system, covering about six thousand miles of railway, for so long a period, is the best possible evidence of his success. He certainly occupies a foremost place among those truly great and public-spirited men wlio have been instrumental in building up that unrivaled transportation system west of the Mississippi River. There can be no question as to the indomitable energy, versatility, and executive ability of one who,

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HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

in the prime of physical and mental strength, has raised himself to a standard of influence incompara- bly superior to that which is occupied by any oper- ating executive officer in the Western States.

In 1868, Mr. Talmage was married to Miss Mary R. Clark, the accomplished daughter of the Rev. James Clark, D.D., of Philadelphia, Pa. The Rev. T. De Witt Talmage, D.D., the brilliant pulpit orator of Brooklyn, N. Y., is his cousin.

The great Pacific Railroad across the continent was completed May 10, 1869, and railroad communication was opened between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts two days later, May 12, 1869. At a meeting of the Missouri Historical Society, held on the 4th of June, 1869, the following, on motion of Gen. Ranney, was adopted for the purpose of being placed on record :

" One of the great Pacific Railroads over the continent from east to west was finished May 10, 1869.

" One of our merchants, James H. Gibson, made over it the first importation of tea from China to St. Louis, which was only thirty-seven days in transit."

The Missouri Pacific or Southwestern system, as it is called, operated under one management, or rather one interest, consists of the Missouri Pacific, the Iron Mountain, tlc Texas Division of the Missouri Pacific (formerly the Missouri, Kansas and Texas), the Texas and Pacific, and the International and Great Northern Railroads, covering five thousand nine hundred and forty-four miles of railway directly in the interests of St. Louis. The region drained by this system covers the whole country from the Mexican frontier to the Mississippi, from Omaha to the gulf. New lines are being built in many parts of the Southwest. One of the principal roads in this system now under construc- tion is the Fort Worth and Denver Road, which is now finished to a point called Henrietta, one hundred miles northwest of Fort Worth. It stretches across the country towards Pueblo, in Colorado, whence the trains will run into Denver over the Rio Grande Rail- road for the present. This line will be nearly six hundred miles in length, and will be pushed rapidly to completion.

The southern point of this system is Laredo, on the Rio Grande, reached by the International and Great Northern Railroad, where connection is made with the Mexican Railroad (narrow-gauge), now in course of construction towards the city of Mexico. The latter is being built from both ends,-Larcdo and the city of Mexico. In time the International Road will itself have a standard gauge connection through to the city of Mexico, though the work as pro- jected is at a standstill on aceount of certain compli-

cations that have arisen within the past few months in Texas. The Mexican National Road has many branches in the republic of Mexico, and before two ycars shall have elapsed the system will embrace something like eighteen hundred miles, giving St. Louis direct communication with all the principal eities of that country and the mining regions. St. Louis will not only have opened to her merchants and manufacturers a valuable trade, but, owing to her splendid railway connections, will have advantages which, if properly taken hold of, will secure the bulk of the business to be derived from Mexico.

To the westward the Texas and Pacific meets the Southern Pacific at Sierra Blanca, a point a short dis- tance east of El Paso, and in connection with the Iron Mountain these roads form a through route to San Francisco and points on the Pacific coast. To the southeastward from Marshall the Texas Pacific is completed to New Orleans, the extension being known as the New Orleans Pacific, and thus does the Southwestern system have its own through line to New Orleans. Before many months St. Louis will have direct rail connection with New Orleans on the west bank of the Mississippi River. This line will soon be almost a bee-line between the two cities by the completion of the line of the Iron Mountain Road, now being pushed as rapidly as possible through East- ern Arkansas from a point known as Knoble, on the Iron Mountain Road, in Arkansas, to Alexandria, La., on the Texas Pacific, and now finished to Forest City. This system, while tending to draw trade to St. Louis, of course brings St. Louis into competition with the cities of New Orleans and Galveston, and the course of trade will depend upon the inducements offered by the different cities for it.

This Southwestern system, as previously indicated, is a part of the Gould system, which embraces in ad- dition to the roads named the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railroad system, both east and west of the river. This powerful combination is considered as advanta- geous to St. Louis, and the policy heretofore pursued has been in the interests of the city. It is under- stood that the interests of the two are identical in many respects, and that the true interests of this vast system will be to make St. Louis its grand centre. As far as can be known, this has been the policy of the management up to this time, and St. Louis is recognized as the headquarters of this vast interest, all the general offices being located here.

The Missouri Pacific on May 1, 1882, extended its line north ward on the west bank of the Missouri River from Atchison, Kan., to Omaha, Neb., making direct connection through Kansas City between Omaha and

yours truly

LIBRARY OF THE 1 ....... TY + 11! "NO)IS.

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St. Louis. Various other extensions of its branches have been and are being made.

The mileage of the Missouri Pacific at this writing (Jan. 1, 1883) is as follows :

Miles.

Main line, St. Louis via Kansas City, to Omaha. 496 St. Joseph Extension .. 21 Carondelet Branch 11 40 Lebanon Branch 4 Glencoe Branch Boonville Branch 44 Lexington Branch 55 Lexington and Southern Division 132 Kansas and Arizona Division. 135 32

Kansas City and Eastern Division

Warsaw Section.

Kansas and Texas Division, main line, Hannibal, Mo., to Denison, Texas

Neosho Section

Mineola Section.

Fort Worth and Waco Sections

Dallas Extension.

Jefferson Branch ...

155

Central Branch Division, main line, Atchinson to Lenora, Kan.

293 7

Republican Branch.

Jewell Branch ..

South Solomon Section.

Total Missouri Pacific proper, with Missouri, Kan- sas and Texas Division.

2718

The Iron Mountain Road is the next most important factor in this system. The main line runs from St. Louis to Texarkana, on the border, between Arkansas and Texas, while from Bismarck a branch leads to Belmont, on the Mississippi, opposite Columbus, Ky., at which point connection is made with the system of roads east of the Mississippi River.

The Iron Mountain and Helena is forty-three miles in length, and was but recently acquired. It will be a most valuable feeder. It extends from Helena to Forest City.

The Galveston, Henderson and Houston Road, fifty miles in length, and running between the cities of Galveston and Houston, was recently purchased by the Gould system, and henceforth will be operated as a part of the International and Great Northern Rail- road.

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History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 40

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts Number of Pages: 1358

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358